Tips To Keep Your Financials In Order

I’ve decided that 2012 will be the year of sorting my money out. Properly.
I’ve never been that great at saving, and I really need to get my stuff sorted so I can travel + see the world + do things!

These are just a few things that I’ve been doing to make my life easier & less stressed when it comes to the money side of things.
I think it’s all well and good to live in the moment and splurge on impulse purchases, but when it comes to the crunch I think one of the biggest things you can do is not spend more than you have. This is one thing I’ve always been good at. I don’t own a credit card, and if I don’t have the money, I don’t buy it.

I’m still pretty new to all of this, so below you’ll find a few links and goodies to help you out if you’re in the same boat as me!

TIP #1 // Use a budget planner.
If you’re in Australia, this site is defiantly worth checking out. (Although I think you could still use it if you’re out of Australia, it just has budget planners & other helpful guides). It’s run by the Government, and it’s called Moneysmart. I’ve been using the Budget Planner, which you can do online, or download the Excel.
It’s super easy to complete, and at the end it gives you a bit of a guide as to what you can do next to help sort out your budget.
>> https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/…

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TIP #2 // Set up automatic payments.
This one is a no brainer, with the ease of internet banking automatic payments are easy peasy to set up!
I’ve got 4 or 5 separate accounts, each for specific things, and each week when the pay rolls in, I’ve got automatic payments going into each account. It makes things a lot easier to manage and keep track of!
For example…
– I’ve got one whole account JUST to pay bills. After I did my budget I came out with the exact number that my bills cost each month. (ie phone, internet, water, etc etc). So each week there’s a certain amount that goes into my ‘Bills’ account, and at the end of the month I just pay my bills with that card.
This way you’re not slapped with a bunch of whopping bills at the end of the month, and end up having to spend your spare/savings money on them! (I used to be really bad at that…)
– And then I’ve got automatic payments into my savings accounts too. One that’s literally called ‘DO NOT TOUCH’, and another one for everyday savings.

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TIP #3 // Keep track of everything. Have a dedicated budget/finances folder.
The fun part, getting it all organised! Have a special folder/book JUST for your money! Keep it simple, you can even whip up your own template that works for you, and make your own book.

Other mini tips…
– Use a Debit Card. Then you only spend money you have in your account.
– Track everything you spend. And I mean EVERYTHING! All that money is going somewhere.

– If you’re in Australia, check out SmartyPig. It’s an online savings account run by ANZ, that lets you set specific amounts & goals. They have automatic payments, and each month they send you an update to tell you how far you’ve got until you reach your goal!>> www.smartypig.com.au

– GOOD is running a awesome 30Days of Good this month, it’s all about sorting out those finances! Each day they’ll post a tip/link/task for you. It’s well worth checking out!>> www.good.is/post/the-good-30…

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What tips do you have? Have you written or know of any awesome websites/posts about keeping your money in order?

Hey! I'm Sian, and I’m a free-spirited creative wizard.
I have a passion for working with people who are on a mission to live their dream lives, and are electrified by the unknown beauty that the future holds.
Twelve by One is my place to share awesome finds + write about this amazing world we're living in.
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